Through the Dark
by AriesBalorPrincess
Summary: The Prequel to Holiday Cheer. The story of Jesse and Noelle from the start and how one Dr. Zoe Hart had an impact on their lives and the impact two Kinsella's had on her from the very moment Jesse stepped foot into her office. Zoe/Jesse friendship story.
1. Superheroes

**This is the prequel to** ** _Holiday Cheer_** **. It's going to be anywhere around 5-15 chapters long. Even though it's based around Jesse, Wade will make a few appearances and I do have a few different things planned with Zoe and Wade that will still follow along with ****_Holiday Cheer_** **. I know nothing about** **Acute lymphoblastic leukemia just what I read online, so if I have anything wrong, I'm really sorry. Enjoy!**

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"Daddy," a 4 year old Noelle screeched running and jumping into her daddy's arm as he walked through the door. Jesse smiled, picking her up, peppering her little cheeks with kisses making his daughter giggle.

"Noelle, sweetie, what have I told you about yelling in the house?" Lisa asked her daughter, coming from the kitchen. "And running?"

"That it's naughty to yell and run in the house," Noelle recited with a sigh. "I'm sorry, mommy," Noelle apologized.

"It's okay," Jesse said, kissing her cheek. "Did you have fun today?" He asked, walking over to his girlfriend to give her a kiss.

"Like you wouldn't believe, daddy," she told him excitedly. "Mommy says I need a bath but I was waiting for you," she informed him.

"How about after dinner I'll give you a bath and you can tell me all about your day, is that a deal?" He asked. Noelle nodded her head. Jesse went to put her down but she held on tighter. "Something wrong, sweets?" Jesse asked, placing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Missed you," was her mumbled reply against his neck.

"Missed you too," he replied with a smile on his face as they went into the living room. Jesse turned the TV on finding a kid show for her to watch. She curled up on his lap refusing to leave his side. There were many times that Jesse would come home and Noelle wouldn't leave his side until she fell asleep in his arms while he read her favorite book. It was these times he liked the most just curling up with his little girl and holding her, in few years time he wouldn't be able to do this.

Before father and daughter knew it, it was time to eat. Washing up, Jesse raced Noelle to the table, a smile on his face hearing her laughter. Passing his girlfriend on the way to the fridge to get their daughter something to drink he quickly kissed her.

"You're still staying home with her tomorrow right?" Lisa asked over dinner.

"What kind of question is that? I've never skipped out on a day with my daughter, I'm not starting now," he said lowly. "I know how important tomorrow is for you, I wouldn't ruin that, let alone miss daddy/daughter time," he said with a smile.

Once a month he'd do something special with Noelle, only they would know what it was they had done that day. His girlfriend did her own thing and he didn't mind. At first they'd use that one day a month to do whatever they wanted within reason of not breaking any rules after they had moved in together. Lisa would spend the day with her friends and he'd hang with the guys, but after Noelle was born he spent his one day with her. He didn't need a beer when he got laughs, smiles, hugs and kisses to last him a lifetime.

"I was just double checking that nothing with work came up or that your brother didn't need you for something," she replied.

"My brother lives hours away and if I was going to see him, I'd take Noelle with me, because it would be a weekend trip," he replied. "Noelle has always come before work, that's not going to change now," he firmly replied.

"I know that," she told him. "I didn't mean to imply that you would, Jesse," Lisa replied with a sigh.

"Baby I get it, you just wanted to make sure that nothing has changed for tomorrow," he replied softly, laying his larger hand on top of hers. "And nothing has, I would've let you know," he told her. She nodded her head.

After dinner Jesse had gotten the bath water for Noelle started, adding a little extra bubble mix, just the way Noelle liked it. As the tub filled with water, Jesse head into the bedroom to change out of his work clothes. Checking the water in the tub he turned it off seeing that there was more than enough water. "Noelle sweetie, bath time," he called out walking the few steps from the bathroom to his daughter's room. Seeing her curled up on the floor holding onto Polly her pink stuffed cat asleep, he didn't have the heart to wake his daughter up. Carefully he picked her up from the floor and placed her in her bed, pulling the blankets over her. He gently kissed her forehead. "Love you little girl," he whispered, checking that Polly had made it to the bed too.

"That was a fast bath," Lisa remarked, getting ready for bed seeing her boyfriend enter the bedroom.

"She fell asleep on the floor. I'll give her a bath first thing in the morning," he replied, stripping his shirt off and tossing it to the side. "What did you guys do today?" He questioned, slipping his pants off.

"We went to the park, had lunch and got ice cream cones on the walk home. Not that much actually," she informed him. "The last few days she's been on the tired side of things. She gets plenty of sleep. It could be that she's just growing," Lisa told him. Jesse shrugged his shoulders; he didn't know what was going with her or why she was so tired all of a sudden. He was going to keep tabs on it though.

"Could be it," he replied, walking around the bed to where she was at in front of the mirror, his hands resting on her shoulders. "How was your day?" He questioned, his fingers slowly working out any knots she had in her muscles getting her to relax, her eyes locking with his through the mirror.

"Better now," she moaned. Jesse smirked, bending down to nuzzle her neck.

It didn't take long for things to get hot and steamy between them, moving them from in front of the mirror to the bed, what little clothing they had left on, laying on the floor as they got lost in each touch of passion.

Jesse was in the process of making breakfast when he was graced with the presence of his daughter, still groggy from sleep. He smiled placing a smiley face pancake in front of her. She smiled at him perking up a little bit. They ate breakfast in silence which Jesse had found as strange, when it was the two of them she was always going on about something and he had to pretend that he knew what it was she was talking about. Today he couldn't even get her tell him what it was she wanted to do. He didn't even question it when she barely ate any of the food on her plate. His daughter loved food but there had been days before when she just wouldn't eat anything and within a day she would be back to eating like a pro.

After breakfast he was able to get her into the tub which woke her up and he smiled getting back his little ball of energy he had for a daughter. He had let her play for a few minutes before he decided to get her washed up. After getting the shampoo washed out of her hair, he got ready to get the rest of her washed up when he noticed a few small bruises on her left leg and on her rib cage. "Sweetie, where did you get these at?" He asked, running a finger over the bruises. She winced a little bit.

"From the park," she shrugged, not really knowing where they had came from.

Jesse let it go and finished washing her up. With that done he let her play a little bit longer. He knew that Lisa wouldn't do anything like that to their daughter and she had never done anything at the park to warrant a bruise before. No matter what he did he couldn't find any reason on why she'd have them. He knew that all little kids get a bruise from time to time, he had been covered in them growing up but he had been more dangerous with the things he had done with Wade. Noelle was afraid to jump into the pool let alone going around and doing anything that she wasn't supposed to be doing at the park.

Pulling the plug on the water, he got her out. Wrapping her up in a big fluffy towel they headed into her bedroom to get dressed for the day.

"Daddy can we play superheroes?" She asked in a small voice. Jesse smiled, getting her wonder woman costume from the closet. Noelle smiled assuring her dad that she could get it on, pushing Jesse out of the room. Jesse chuckled, walking to his own room to get the batman cape that he had for when they played superheroes.

After running around the house most the morning, they found themselves laying in the living room having apple slices with peanut butter and juice for a snack. Noelle was on his lap, her eyes slowly closing no matter how many times she snapped them open they would fall shut again. When she had finally dozed off which Jesse thought of as strange because he couldn't remember the last time she had taken a nap during the day. He frowned when he placed a kiss to her forehead feeling that she was warm. He quickly got a blanket and tossed it over her. He turned down the TV and got himself comfortable on the couch and typed a few key words into Google. He ruled a few things out knowing that on no certain terms it could be that. Leukemia was one of the things that kept coming up but he kept bypassing it, he didn't want to entertain the idea of his daughter being that sick.


	2. Daddy I'm not dying

**I'm really sorry for any mistakes in this chapter. My computer crashed while in the middle of this chapter forcing me to write it on my phone. I hope I was able to get them all. Also to the guest reviewer I do understand where you're coming from and I want to say that this story has been in the works since _Holiday Cheer_ had been wrapped up. This story and ****_Unexpected_ are my main focus right now. But please don't fear the others will get updated, I'm not abandoning any of my stories.**

 **Lastly Lisa isn't a character I wanted people to like, as we all know she takes off on them and for everyone to see that Jesse has a bigger connection with Noelle than Lisa ever has, and I will touch on that in a later chapter along with why she leaves the way she does, even though I know it's not realistic the way it is now, but please just stick with it because it will be explained. So hating her is okay, because after this chapter I'm not very fond of her either. Enough from me and enjoy!**

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After having a long talk with his girlfriend on the current behavior of their daughter, he was convinced that something was going on with her and when Monday rolled around he was taking her to the doctor. The only way he wouldn't have done so is if she would have pulled out of this funk she had been in, but over the course of Saturday night and Sunday little Noelle didn't get any better and he along with Lisa were worried about their daughter's well-being.

Monday afternoon saw them sitting in the clinic's waiting room. Noelle was sitting on Jesse's lap, curled into a little ball. He'd find himself kissing the top of her head every few minutes. What felt like a lifetime later they were called back. They answered the questions the nurse asked. They remained quiet as they waited an eternity for the doctor to walk into the room.

When he did enter the room and ran a few tests he did everything in his power to assure them she only had an illness that would only last for a few more days. But Jesse didn't like that answer, he wanted to know that his daughter was going to be okay but he had this feeling that it was worse than a random illness, he had yet to deal with or see anyone have an illness that made them tired and bruise. Not only that she didn't have a cough or a runny nose, her throat didn't hurt and she had yet to vomit so the doctor saying it was an illness screamed something was off with his daughter. The doctor sighed and referred them to another doctor to run tests that he felt like weren't necessary, but Jesse wanted to make sure that he could take the very idea of leukemia right out of his mind.

The sun was making its descent for the night when they finally made it home. With the promise of getting results back in just a few days. It didn't make Jesse feel any better that they now had to wait to see if his gut feeling was right and he was really hoping that he was wrong.

"Daddy I'm not dying," Noelle told him one night as he tucked her into bed. They still hadn't gotten the test results back and it was starting to worry him.

"Of course not munchkin," he smiled, grabbing the book from where he had sat it before tucking his little girl into bed. "I hate seeing you not yourself, is all," he told her, sitting on the edge of her bed. "I don't like not knowing what's wrong," he clarified opening the story book.

Softly he read the story to her, his own thoughts forgetting about the events around him as he let the fairytale take over. Long after Noelle had fallen asleep he kept reading until the very last word on the last page telling him the prince had found his princess. With a soft sigh he closed the book and sat there with his daughter curled up to him. Brushing the hair from her eyes, he placed a gentle kiss to her forehead and slowly got up, placing Jolly in her arms. Turning the lights off he made sure her little night light was casting her room in a soft glow on his way out of her room.

"You do know she's a strong girl, she gets that from you," Lisa said, sitting behind her boyfriend on the bed, her fingers kneading into his shoulders to release the tension he held.

"I know she is, but Lisa, I don't like this," he sighed, dropping his head into his hands. "I'm her father, I should be able to do something for her and I can't do a thing because doctors know nothing and they refuse to get back to us, it's already been 4 days and nothing," he ranted into the palm of his hands.

"Whatever the results say, we're going to be okay, everything will be fine, we can't lose that faith, Jesse," she told him softly.

A part of him didn't want to believe a word his girlfriend was saying however he couldn't think about the negatives in life, he wanted to stay positive about whatever was going on. "I hope so," he replied, reaching to take her hand in his.

For the first time in a long time he just wanted to crawl into bed and hold his girlfriend, he was just too emotionally drained to do anything else but sleep, if he could call lying in bed his mind going to the dark spots on the situation they were in, sleeping, then he was getting plenty of sleep.

The best part of his job, he was able to do it from home when he had to and for the past few days he hasn't went into work. They were currently sitting on the couch watching a movie Noelle picked out. They had gone for a walk and Noelle had the energy to play at the park for a while. Before coming home they got some take out ready to enjoy the afternoon at home.

Half way through the movie the phone rang. With Noelle using her mom as a pillow and her father as a foot rest, so it made more sense for Jesse to get up and answer the phone.

That pit of dread in his stomach took over his whole body as he told the doctor he wanted the results over the phone, he couldn't wait any longer. His whole body felt numb the longer the doctor explained things to him. He heard the doctor referring the best pediatric cancer doctors in the area. But it went in one ear and out the other, it wasn't registering, nothing was.

It was hard to tell his girlfriend that their little girl had cancer, it was even harder to tell their daughter the news. He wanted to do nothing more than to take the look of horror right off her face, to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be okay, but he couldn't because he didn't know how it was going to play out and he didn't have the heart to lie to her, he had to be honest with her on what she would be going through and it broke him even more. The truth was as much as he wanted to walk away from this situation with his daughter 100 percent healthy it wasn't a guarantee and he had to be honest and open with his daughter.

Late into the night long after his girlfriend and daughter were sleeping as peaceful as they could be he was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee as he looked over the list of doctors that were in the top of their field for pediatric cancer. There was only a handful of them and after doing research on each one there was only one doctor that stuck out for him. A Dr. Zoe Hart.

He grabbed the phone and called the number provided. He knew that he would be getting an answering machine as it was late and the doctor would be at home in bed sleeping, like he should be doing. Surprise overtook him when someone answered the phone. Finding his voice he asked for Dr. Zoe Hart.

Getting put on hold while they transferred him he dared a look at the clock on the stove that read it was a few minutes past 7. A hand dragged across his face as the realization hit him that he had spent the better part of his night sitting in front of his laptop screen.

"Hello, this Dr. Hart." Hearing her voice he snapped himself out of his little funk.

"Hello, my name is Jesse and I've just learned that my daughter has Acute lymphoblastic leukemia and I was wondering if maybe you could see her," he pleaded with her.

After a long pause in which Jesse had thought she had hung up on him her voice was soft. "I'm very busy but I will take a meeting and discuss some options with you. How does 1 this afternoon sound for you?" She asked him.

"I'll be there," he told her releasing the breath he had been holding out. A meeting was better than nothing, he knew first hand that she had all the right in the world to turn him down.

"Okay and Jesse can I get the name of your daughter, so I know just a bit more about her, if that's okay with you."

"It's fine as long it well help her in the long run," he told her. "Her name is Noelle Kinsella."

After getting off the phone with the doctor Jesse walked upstairs to check on his daughter, seeing that she was still sleep he left her be and walked to his room. He stopped in the doorway seeing Lisa sitting on the bed a suitcase next her.

"Going somewhere?" Jesse asked.

"I'm not as strong as you, Jesse. I can't sit around here and watch her go through what is going to be hell, I can't," Lisa told him on the verge of tears. "I think it's best if I just go."

"In all the years that I've known you, I never thought you'd be a coward that ran when things got tough. You think this is going to be easy for me? For Noelle? Newsflash it's not. She's going to need her mom," he told her, trying to plead with her to stay. He couldn't do this alone, he needed to have his girlfriend, the love of his life by his side. "I'm going to need you," he pleaded with her.

"You'll both be fine," Lisa told him. "I need time Jesse. I know running like this isn't ideal but I have to go," she stated getting up. She gave him with a goodbye kiss. "I love you and I love Noelle, I can't deal with this situation," she told him, grabbing her suitcase and walking out the door. Jesse fell back on the bed, his eyes closing as they filled up with fresh tears.

He didn't remember falling asleep, but when he woke up his daughter was using him as a pillow as she watched the TV. He slipped a hand through her hair. She gave him a smile turning her attention back to the show. He glanced at the clock to see that it was nearing 11 in the morning.

"Why don't we go find some food then we need to get ready to go meet a doctor," he told her softly.

"Peanut butter and jelly?" She questioned with big hopeful eyes. Jesse smiled and nodded. He got up picking her up. He carried her to the kitchen where they made their sandwiches together.


	3. My Daddy is Batman

**I hope this helps to give you all a little more insight into what Lisa is dealing with and that was the only part of this chapter that I knew for certain about and the meeting between Zoe, Jesse and Noelle just came out. I'm really excited for the next chapter as it'll be a few weeks later and I'm bringing in Lavon and Wade, I've got part of it already figured out, so hopefully I'll have another chapter up for you all tomorrow.**

 **Enjoy!**

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Zoe looked over the file that lay on her desk. Turning patients away was never fun, but as it was she had more patients then she could handle at the moment, she was stretched really thin, her own personal life gone as she spent nearly ever hour of the day at the hospital as it was. Not only had she checked everything she could out on Noelle she had found the next best doctor for her. Saying no had never been fun, all she wanted was the best for each child that came across her path, but at this point she had no choice in the matter, she couldn't take her on.

She had been so lost in paper work and phone calls that when she heard the knock on her door, she had jumped slightly standing up. She gave her company a smile and motioned them to come into her office.

"I really appreciate this," Jesse told her, sitting down across from her desk, Noelle staying right against her father. Zoe nodded, sitting back down.

"I'm afraid that I don't have good news for you," Zoe started to say. "I've looked through everything I have on your daughter, but," she was saying when he had cut her off.

"I'm sure that you have more on your hands than you can handle and I know asking you to take on Noelle isn't going to help any, but I've looked and did my research on this and I know that you're the best doctor for the case, Dr. Hart. I'm begging you here," he pleaded with her.

Zoe sighed, leaning forward, her eyes going to the scared little girl in her father's arms. "Why me?" She asked, looking back at Jesse. "I'm not any better than any other doctor here."

"But you are, Dr. Hart. I'm sure all the rest of the doctors are amazing at their jobs but you stand out the most. You don't see the kids as anything other than kids that want to get better and be normal, you let them feel like that, you don't treat them like patients but like they're normal kids. You spend all this time with them and you're their friend, Dr. Hart," he explained getting a hint of a smile to cross her face.

"You really did do your research on me didn't you?" She asked with a small laugh.

Jesse suddenly became embarrassed about that fact, but he couldn't help it, he wanted the best chance for his daughter to make it out of this healthy and he really felt like the doctor sitting in front of him was his daughter's best chance at that. He also understood if she couldn't do it and he'd be okay with being referred to a different doctor.

"I love my daughter, Dr. Hart. I had to start with the best, I can understand if taking her on is going to be too much for you."

Zoe heard everything that Jesse was telling her and her option to refer them to a different doctor was dwindling away. She did want to talk to Jesse without Noelle on top of him and she wanted to talk to Noelle without Jesse being right there.

"Noelle sweetie, do you like to color?" Zoe asked in a soft voice, looking at the little girl to see her nod slightly. "Listening to grown-ups talk is kind of boring," she said, getting up. "I have princess coloring books or even superhero coloring books if you want one of those," she suggested, holding her hand out for the little girl.

Noelle looked up at her daddy, Jesse nodded his head. Noelle slowly got off her dad's lap and took the few steps to where Zoe was standing at. Placing her little hand in Zoe's she let the doctor lead her over to where the coloring books were at. "Do you have Batman?" Noelle asked in a voice barely above a whisper.

Zoe smiled pulling out the coloring book filled with Batman. "He's my favorite too," Zoe told her, placing the tub of color crayons on the table next to her. "And at any time you feel scared you can look up and see that your Daddy is right there," Zoe told her pointing to where Jesse sat. Noelle looked at her daddy getting a small wave from him. Zoe waited until Noelle had found a page to start coloring on before walking back over to her desk. "Does anyone in your family have a history with cancer?" Zoe asked getting straight to the point.

"No," Jesse told her. "But it does on her Mom's side of the family," Jesse sighed.

"I was wondering about that. Most the time both parents come in. I commend you if you're a single father," Zoe told him.

"I guess now I will be," Jesse sighed under his breath. "If things would've been different Lisa would've been here, but as a little girl she watched her twin sister go through the very same thing Noelle is going through and it wasn't good for her, it wrecked her childhood and scarred her for life," Jesse started to say, needing to tell Zoe everything that way she'd have a better understanding on what they were dealing with. "And about 10 years after that when she was 18 and starting to getting to better after losing her sister years before hand she sat by and watched her grandpa die from colon cancer," he explained. "It was hard on her then and when we found out that Noelle had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia it was the final straw, she thought things were fixed," he added on. He had thought things with his girlfriend had gotten better, that she had been getting the help she needed, but it only proved that he had been wrong. He hated that she had just left the way she had, but at the same time he knew it was something that needed to be done for her own health.

 _It was a few months after Noelle had been born that Jesse had questioned his girlfriend on why she didn't have a better bond with their daughter. "It's not because I don't love her, because I love her so much, but I'm having trouble getting close to her because of my past. I can't lose someone I love, Jesse. I don't know if it'll happen but I'm trying to protect her. If I don't build a bond like you have with her than if anything does happen with me, she won't be as heartbroken, I know how that feels and I could never let that happen to her. I'm trying to do the best for her," Lisa explained sadly, watching the baby in her boyfriend's arm sleep. "I'm going to be her Mother and do right by her, but I can't let myself get as close as you are with her, not after everything, I know it's something you won't understand, but I can't help it, Jesse." She had been right, he didn't understand it._

"That must have been hard," Zoe said bringing Jesse back from his thoughts, searching her desk for some papers. Over the years she had seen it ruin families and she hated that it worked out that way, that they weren't strong enough to cope with everything. She would have thought that they would be able to lean on each other in times like this and with some they had. But to see a mother walk away before the hardest parts even came up was truly heartbreaking, but with everything that Lisa had went through growing up, she could understand to an extant on why she walked away. "I can't guarantee you anything, but fill out these papers while I have a chat with your daughter," Zoe told him, handing him a small stack of papers.

"My daddy is Batman," Noelle said, when Zoe sat down next to her. For this little meeting with Noelle, Zoe wanted to get a feel for the little girl when she wasn't in Jesse's arms.

"He is," Zoe questioned, grabbing a color crayon to color on a blank piece of paper. Noelle nodded her head. "You love your Daddy, don't you?" She questioned the little girl.

"Uh-huh," Noelle replied, her eyes never leaving the coloring page. "Are you going to make me better?"

"I'm going to try," Zoe replied. If she moved a few things around and took an extra hour from her already dwindling personal life she could make room for Noelle, it was going to be a challenge but it was a challenge she was up for. "Is that okay with you?"

"I guess so," Noelle replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "Are you a superhero?"

"I've never thought about it," Zoe replied. "You did a good job with your picture," Zoe said, seeing that she was finished with it. "Do you want to keep it?" Noelle nodded her head. Zoe smiled and tore the page from the book and handed it to her. Noelle took it and ran over to her daddy to hand him the picture she had just colored. "This isn't going to be easy for anyone and at anytime I feel like I can't do my best, I will refer you to a different doctor," Zoe told them walking to her office door. "While you're here let's get a few things set up and taken care of."

"Thank you for this, Dr. Hart," Jesse told her. Zoe gave him a smile and followed him out the door. She was hoping that she was doing the right thing here and that in a few months time she wouldn't regret that she had developed a soft spot for these two.


	4. Superman is my Uncle

**Here's the next chapter for you guys and I had fun with the small Wade/Zoe moment. I hope you guys like this. Enjoy!**

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Wade had just finished his last shift for the night. His mind focused on other things than the beautiful red head trying to flirt with him. Completely ignoring her he headed to his bosses office to let him know that he was taking off.

"Wally, I'll try to get back as soon as I can," Wade informed him. "But," he paused.

Wally waved him off, telling him, "take as much time as you need, Wade. We'll be fine in the mean time. This is your family and I understand that you need to be there. Your job will be here when you do come back, but please don't rush back. They need you more than we do."

"Thanks for that, Wally," he said. "I do want to spend as much time as I can with them." The last time he had seen either of them had been nearly 6 months ago when they had came to town for Planksgiving. Learning about what his niece was going through took its own little toll on him and he couldn't even begin to imagine what it was doing to Jesse.

"They're your family and they mean a lot to all of us around here. I'm not heartless," Wally replied. "I would never keep you from seeing them in a time like this. They need you and I can see that you need them as well. You take all the time you need to be with them and if you need anything you just let me know," Wally informed him.

"I will," Wade replied, heading out of the office. He walked straight to the gate house, unintentionally ignoring everyone around him; his thoughts consuming him. When he did get there his parents were going to come home for a few days and when his parents returned to the city that was when Wade would be the one coming back home until he could get away again. As much as he wanted to move to be with his brother and his niece it wasn't possible for him.

"Lavon doesn't mean to rush you, but you about ready?" Lavon questioned him, standing just inside the door. Wade nodded, tossing a few extra articles of clothing into his bag just in case he stayed longer than he had planned on.

Lavon was going to be going with Wade. Lavon wasn't going to be spending as much time there as he was, but Lavon felt like his friend and best little buddy needed him in a time like this so he had arranged to be away for a few days. And Wade was actually happy that he wouldn't be spending the whole trip on a plane with just his thoughts to get the best of him.

Wade was quickly realizing that he might have been better off going by himself. He hadn't said anything to Lavon since leaving the gate house and Lavon had been awfully quiet as well. Making small talk just seemed to be useless for both of them.

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Zoe smiled as the older Kinsella's walked past her on there way out of the hospital. Finishing up with what she was doing, she went to see just how Noelle was doing since earlier in the morning. Taking a look into the room she saw that Noelle was sleeping and Jesse was sitting in the chair, his eyes closed. Not wanting to bother them, she quietly walked away.

She was looking down at her clip board when she had bumped into someone. She went to say sorry, but the person she had bumped into had beat her to saying anything.

"You should really watch were you're going," he mumbled under his breath, not even bothering to look at the person he had just ran into.

"And maybe you should walk the way you're facing," Zoe smartly told him. As mad as she wanted to be at him, she couldn't when she looked up to see him decked out in blue with the matching red cape. People did a lot to make the kids smile and the man before her was doing just that and she found it sweet, rude that he was walking backwards and got snippy with her when he was just as at fault as she was.

The guy huffed and walked off leaving Zoe standing in the hallway by herself. She jumped when someone had spoke next to her. "You'll have to excuse my friend, he's not himself." Zoe looked up and to the side the voice had came from.

"You mean to tell me that Superman isn't always as nice as he should be?" She joked. "You're Lavon Hayes," she smiled, Lavon chuckled nodding his head. "Can I help you find the child you're looking for?" She asked him. It just didn't seem right to go over everything that he had accomplished in his years in the NFL.

"I'm looking for Noelle Kinsella," he smiled.

"Oh right this way," Zoe told him. "How do you know Noelle?"

"She's my niece," Lavon replied with leaving it at.

"Noelle is a lucky girl to have you here for her," Zoe told him. "I'm her doctor," she filled him in.

"Zoe we need your help," a nurse called from further down the hall. Zoe nodded her head.

"Her room is right there," she told him pointing to the closed door. "If you need anything just ask for Dr. Hart."

"Will do," he smiled, entering the room. Taking a deep breath Zoe hurried back down the hall to where she was needed at.

* * *

After visiting hours were over with, Zoe headed to Noelle's room one last time before she was to leave. Every time that she had checked on Noelle throughout the day, it had been either Jesse in the room with her or one of her grandparents. Zoe smiled seeing that Jesse was still there, he spent most nights in his daughter's room, not wanting to be anywhere else.

"I see that a little girl got a very special visit from Superman earlier today," she announced walking into the room. If Lavon was friends with the guy dressed as Superman it only meant that he too had came to see Noelle. "Your family is just filled with superheroes, isn't it?" She questioned, checking over a few things. Jesse sat in his chair watching the two of them.

Noelle smiled brightly with sleepy eyes. "Yeah," she whispered. "Superman is my Uncle."

Zoe smiled and let her drift off to sleep. She turned to look at Jesse. "I'll be in early tomorrow morning, she has a treatment tomorrow morning."

Jesse nodded his head. "We'll be here," he replied with. "Thank you for everything you've done for us these last few weeks, especially when you didn't have too."

"It's my job and it's worked out for all of us," Zoe told him. "Have a good night, Jesse," she told him walking to the door. "My door is always open if you need someone to talk to Jesse," she let him know. As far as she knew he barely left the hospital unless his parents made him or one of the doctors kicked him out saying he had to go home to get some rest. A couple of times he had left for a few hours going to work but most his time was spent in the room with his daughter and more times than not a person needed to talk to someone about what was going on. And she could see that Jesse really needed a friend.

"I'll keep that in mind, night Dr. Hart," he told her.

Zoe gave him a small smile and exited the room to collect her things before going home and getting a few hours of sleep herself.

The next morning had been a busy one for both Zoe and Noelle. Zoe didn't have a single spare second until mid-afternoon. She stopped in to check on Noelle before her lunch break that had been dwindling down to just a few minutes, not that it was the first time Zoe had to eat on the run. Walking into the room she was expecting to see Jesse there but instead she found Lavon.

"I sent Jesse home to shower and change," Lavon informed her.

"Someone had to," she smiled walking over to Noelle. "You feeling okay?" Noelle nodded her head. "Your lunch will be here shortly," she informed the little girl. "Is there anything you need, Lavon?" She asked him.

"I'm good, Dr. Hart," he told her. She nodded letting them know that if anything came up and they needed her to have someone get her.

Just a few seconds after she walked out of the room Wade had entered it. Lavon let a small chuckle escape. Wade gave him a funny look.

"You just missed the doctor Noelle has been telling you about, again," he let his friend know.

"You'd like her Uncle Wade," Noelle told him.

"Wade would like who?" Jesse asked entering the room.

"Dr. Hart," Wade told him. "How is it that I'm the only one in this room that hasn't met her?" He questioned. Jesse shrugged his shoulders.

"You actually ran into her yesterday," Lavon filled him in smirking.

Wade frowned. He remembered bumping into someone and blaming them for it. It was what he got for walking backwards but they wouldn't have ran into each other if they would've been paying attention, so as much as he felt like it was his fault, some of the blame was on them too. "I don't remember what she looked like." It wasn't until that moment that he knew the person was a she, he didn't look at her, just muttered something under his breath, turned and walk to his niece's room.


	5. Monkey and Banana

"How big of a fan are you?" Lavon questioned a smile in his voice, walking up behind Zoe.

"Who said I was a fan?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow, just outside the door of Noelle's room.

"I saw the excitement in your eyes, that if we wouldn't have been in the hospital you would have freaked out on me," he chuckled lightly.

"Some of the kids watch football, I watched a little so I knew what they were going on about," she told him almost perfecting her little lie.

"Not for a second do I believe that," he started to say entering Noelle's room. "You're a fan, a massive one at that, nothing to be ashamed of," he let her know.

Zoe rolled her eyes. "Fine, I'm a fan of yours and I'm not ashamed, Lavon. You were one heck of a player," she retorted with. "I did wonder what happened to you after you left the game, guess I now know, Mayor Hayes," she told him, with a smirk.

"Don't mock, Big Z," Lavon gasped, hiding his own smirk. The last thing Zoe was expecting was a nickname from Lavon. They had only talked twice now, she hadn't expected to be friends with him or ever see him again after Noelle left the hospital.

Zoe smiled turning her back on Lavon and Jesse, to see the look on Noelle's face. Before she had a chance to ask her what it was about, Noelle started to talk. "Dr. Z, I like it," the little girl smiled. Zoe shared a smile with her. "Is that okay?" Noelle asked shyly.

"I think it's a great name, Noelle," Zoe assured her. "Your very own little name for me, it's sweet," she smiled.

* * *

Jesse snuck out of his daughter's room looking to get a cup of coffee, while she played games with Lavon. He just needed a moment to really gather his thoughts. It had been so much about Noelle that everything else in his life had been pushed to the back of his mind. Work he did and went in when he had to when his parents were with Noelle, but his boss was a little more lenient with him. More than once Jackie and Earl would ask the question about Lisa and he told them what he knew, if she did show up to see Noelle he'd let her, he couldn't stop her, but he had a feeling that wasn't going to happen. He loved Lisa, planned on asking her to marry him a few different times but every time something would come up and the moment would pass. He wanted to think that if they would've been married, she would still be there with him, but the second thoughts like that entered his mind, he'd shove them out because it simply didn't matter.

"You look deep in thought." The soft small voice brought a little smile to his face.

"I was," he replied, turning to look at the doctor. "That was a sweet thing you did earlier today," he told her.

"What's that?" Zoe asked, pouring herself some coffee.

"The Dr. Z, thing," he replied, adding some sugar to his own cup of coffee. "It brought a real smile to her face, one that I haven't seen a lot of these days."

"She's a sweet girl and I want her to feel comfortable around me. And I admit I kind of like the nickname," she replied, taking a sip of her coffee. "I'm assuming she doesn't go around giving just anybody nicknames does she?"

"No," he laughed. "Mostly just her friends." Hearing that Zoe smiled, knowing just how much Noelle was warming up to her. "I should get back to her. It's hard to say what they could be doing," he chuckled lightly.

Zoe smiled and watched him walk away. Taking her coffee she headed to her office for a small moment to herself.

* * *

Wade had his things packed, it was his last day in the city and he was more than ready to go home and away from the craziness of New York. He was trying to figure out what Jesse liked so much about the city that never slept. He had spent his days when he wasn't at the hospital at his brother's house so when he went in to see his niece before heading home, his bags stayed behind. He should've taken them with him so he could've left straight to the airport from the hospital, but he didn't feel like carrying them around with him, just one little monkey.

Wade pushed the button for the elevator, stuffing his hands in his pants pockets as he waited. He paid no attention to the footfalls he heard around him as he waited for the elevator to descend. Hearing someone call for a Dr. Hart made his head snap to the right where the cafeteria was located at. He did want to get a look at his niece's doctor but when he looked all he saw was a flurry of brown hair as she walked out of his line of sight.

He could go and hunt her down but he didn't want to come off as a stalker or crazy. What was he going to say to her? Thank her for being his niece's doctor? He couldn't do that, it was her job after all. He did suppose that he could always tell her sorry for the way he acted when he had bumped into her. That was the right thing to do, but he couldn't do it, he didn't care what the doctor thought of him and he wasn't about to go out of his way to make her like him. She could hate him for all he cared, as long as she didn't hate Noelle and he was pretty certain that whatever happened between the two of them she wouldn't take it out on Noelle. He really thought it was best that he stay away from the doctor.

Thankfully for him before he had the chance to change his mind about tracking down Dr. Hart the elevator pinged indicating it had arrived, the doors slid opened to reveal that it was empty. He stepped on pushing the button for the right floor.

"Hey my little monkey Elle," Wade smiled, kissing her head, his hand holding the stuffed monkey behind his back.

"My Banana," Noelle smiled, giving her uncle a hug. "Do you have too leave?" She asked sadly, holding onto Wade tighter.

"I do have to go. I'll try to get back to see you again," Wade promised her. "I'll call every day, I promise," he told her. "But I've got all day to spend here with you." He had got the latest possible flight he could get. He wouldn't be getting into Mobile until the wee hours of morning.

"Really?" She asked her eyes lighting up. Wade nodded his head.

"Yep, I also brought you something," he smiled, pulling the little monkey holding a banana out from behind his back. Noelle smiled, hugging the little monkey tightly.

"Now you can convince Uncle Wade to play Monopoly with you," Jesse smirked. He had spent more time paying that game than doing much of anything else.

"Your Dad was always horrible at that game," Wade laughed. "I beat you every time, we played," Wade smirked.

"Or maybe I let you win," Jesse retorted with a smirk.

"Prove it," Wade bated him.

Noelle giggled, sitting up, letting her dad get the game set up. "I'll school you both," the little girl smiled, taking the dog piece.

"I'll be the banker," Wade smirked, taking the car piece.

Jesse rolled his eyes, picking the thimble out of the box before moving it aside.

They spent the better part of the day playing the game. Jesse and Wade finding little ways to let Noelle win the game without her catching on.

Wade hated that the day had to end so quickly. He was going to miss his niece and he really wished they lived closer together so he could visit more often. There was no way he could move closer, it took him every thing he had to keep his sanity over the last few days. His temper got the best of him more than once while he was out in the overcrowded streets trying to find his way. He needed his peace and quiet.

"Remember when you break out of this joint," Wade started to say with a smirk, catching the look of amusement from his brother. "You come to Bluebell and I'll hide ya so no one can find ya."

"Deal," Noelle giggled, hugging her uncle one last time before he left. "Bye Uncle Banana," Noelle told him.

"Bye little Monkey Elle," he replied, kissing her head.

That was the same moment Zoe pulled the door open. She smiled hearing the little conversation. She quickly and quietly shut the door. She didn't want to intrude on the little moment. Hearing the sadness in the little girl's voice and the man that was talking, it was hard enough for both of them. She'd come back at a later time.


	6. What's your Mom like?

**I have the rest of this story planned out, and all but the final chapter started. Chapter 7 and 8 are nearly done, chapter 9 is a few hundred words in and chapter 10 hasn't been started yet. I planned on having this chapter up sooner, but I moved things around and added something different to this one to keep with the flow at the beginning of the chapter. I'm not really fond of the talk between Noelle and Zoe, but I hope you all enjoy this one!**

* * *

Two months later Zoe was sitting in the hospital's cafeteria, eating a late lunch when Jesse sat down across from her. "I hope you don't mind," he said a bit sheepishly. Zoe shook her head as she wiped her mouth. "You've been great with Noelle."

"She's easy to like," Zoe smiled. "I've come to find if they can see me as a friend they can trust me more and they're not so scared. But Noelle she's a bit guarded and I find that any progress I make with her is gone in just a few days if she decides it's for the best," she commented, wanting to know if there was a way around that.

"That has to do with her mom," Jesse sighed. "They weren't as close as most mother's and daughter's should be. It was hard for Lisa, she didn't want kids and it took me the first 4 months to convince her to keep Noelle." It was hard enough to remember those days for him, he had fought so hard to keep his daughter, more than once he thought it would come down to an ultimatum between Noelle and Lisa. Even though for a few years he had both, he was happy that he had his daughter and he couldn't even fathom the idea of giving her away. She was his life and right now he wanted to keep a smile on her face. "But you've been doing an amazing job, I'm really happy that you've stuck with us this long," he told her. Zoe gave him a smile.

"My mom didn't up and leave me when I was sick, but in many different ways she was never there for me when I needed her so to an extant I know where Noelle is coming from," Zoe told him. But unlike her Noelle had the love of her father, something Zoe had lost a long time ago.

"That couldn't have been easy for you," Jesse told her, finding it hard to figure out just what it was he should say to her.

"It wasn't," she quickly commented. "You've been doing an amazing job as her father, she's a lucky to have you Jesse," Zoe praised him in a hurry to change the topic. She swore she had saw a hint of a blush on his cheeks. "Was there something you wanted to talk to me about? Zoe asked, finishing off her lunch.

"I wanted to get your opinion on something," he started to say, getting up so they could walk and talk. Zoe remained quiet waiting for Jesse to say whatever it was he had on his mind. "I do my best when it comes to this whole mess that I've been tossed into and I'm dealing with everything, but Lisa she uh wrote a letter to Noelle." He wanted his daughter to have it, to have some kind of relationship with her or even closure. He hadn't read the letter so he had no idea what it said.

"I think you should let Noelle decided when she's ready to read it or for you to read it to her. You can't keep it from her, Jesse. I know first hand how much that hurts and it can ruin so much. Be honest with her. Lisa loved her even if she didn't show it, she did what was best for both herself and Noelle, I believe that much and you should too," Zoe quickly told him.

"I guess so," Jesse sighed. Zoe rested a hand on his shoulder.

"You're an amazing father Jesse and you're all that little girl needs right now," Zoe told him. "I'll be by later to check on her."

Jesse nodded his head, "thanks Dr. Hart," he told her going from the friends they just were to business. "Just keep trying and show her that you care and I promise you'll find a place in her heart for years to come," he said, leaving out the part about Zoe not hurting Noelle, but it was laced through his words and Zoe understood.

"You're welcome, Jesse." She gave the man a smile and walked off letting Jesse enter the room to be with his daughter.

He sat on the edge of her bed as she watched a show on TV. It was just the two of them in her room. His parents had to go home for a while but promised they'd be back in a few weeks, Wade had went back a week after he showed up, he called and talked to them both but he hadn't had a chance to come back around and as for Lavon he showed up every few weeks for a couple of days before he was called back to Bluebell.

With the show over with, Jesse turned the TV off. He turned to look at his daughter taking a deep breath. It had been hard enough to talk to Zoe about things when it came to Lisa and now that he had to tell Noelle talking to Zoe had seemed like a breeze.

"Daddy what's wrong?" She asked him in a small voice.

"Remember how you've been asking about Mommy?" He asked her. He had cringed at his own words, knowing that she wouldn't forget that. At first she had asked all the time and now it was hardly ever. He watched as she slowly nodded her head. "She uh left a letter for you," he said, standing up to get the letter in question. "If you want me to read it, I will, but if not we can keep it for a later date," Jesse told her giving her the options.

He watched her think it over. The response he got back hadn't been the one he thought he would get. "Can we just keep reading the story?" She questioned. He had thought that she would want to know what the letter said. She'd let him know when she wanted the letter, that he was sure of.

"Of course, we can," he told her, walking over to the window ledge and picking up the book they had been slowly making a dent in over the past week. He got himself comfortable, only after making sure Noelle didn't need anything.

* * *

Zoe smiled at the people she passed walking to a certain room. Not hearing any noise from the side of the door she was on, she slowly and very carefully pushed the door open. She smiled seeing that Noelle was laying in her bed awake while Jesse was sleeping as best he could be in the chair, a book lying on his lap open. She gave Noelle a little smile and took the book from Jesse's lap, marking the page and placing it on the window ledge. Grabbing a throw blanket she placed it over Jesse.

She worked in silence not wanting to disturb Jesse. She could only assume that he didn't get a lot of sleep at night. Once she finished writing things down, she turned to look at Noelle to see that she was thinking about something. She took a few extra minutes to finish what she was doing waiting to see if Noelle was going to say anything to her before she left the room.

"Can I ask you something?" Noelle asked softly. Zoe nodded her head, sitting on the edge of the bed. "What's your Mom like?"

"Ambitious," Zoe replied thinking that was the one word that would describe her the best, without painting this horrible picture of her. "Work is her life and it's where I get my drive from." It wasn't a lie, without her mom around over the years, she dove head first into learning and saw just how well hard work paid off. "I didn't have the best relationship with her and I still don't, but she was doing what she thought was right and I know that she loves me," Zoe told her, deciding to be honest with her.

"How?"

"Because she was doing what she thought was the best for both of us, she gave me everything I needed, her love wasn't always there and I questioned why she would do it, why she left, but I get it now. And I promise when you get older you'll understand things better too. Making the right choice is never easy and it may seem wrong and it might be wrong, but at the time it did seem like it was the right thing to do, you just have to keep an open mind," she told her.

"Okay," Noelle told her. "So my Mom leaving..." she trailed off, losing the power to say anymore.

"She loves you and she couldn't hurt you more by staying here, because she knew that it would happen. And though she was the one to decide leaving for a while was the thing to do, she regrets it because she loves you so much that it hurts her. But she knows that you're in wonderful hands with your Daddy," Zoe told her softly, hoping that she hadn't overstep any lines that she shouldn't have when it came to talking about Lisa to Noelle.

"Do you think," Noelle sighed, closing her eyes, her little tears streaking down her cheeks.

"I think whatever choice you make about that letter she left for you," Zoe started to say seeing Noelle's eyes open in shock, "is that right choice for you. I can't tell you one way or another and your dad can't. Give it a few days to really think it over. It will always be there," Zoe told her getting up. Noelle nodded her head, letting her doctor walk out of the room.

Zoe hadn't made it very far when Jesse tracked her down. She was expecting Jesse to yell at her but she was surprised when the words left his mouth in a very sincere manner. "Thank you for that, for not just telling her what you think she wanted to her or what was the best thing for her to hear." Zoe placed a hand on his arm, giving him a warm smile.

"I know she's a little girl and it would've been easier to give her a simple little answer sugarcoating things but sometimes kids want to feel like they are grownup enough to hear things that aren't always rainbows and unicorns. It wouldn't have helped her if I told her what I thought she should hear, the truth may not always be easy or put a smile on your face, but she's going through enough as it is, being honest with her is the best thing. The love she has for her mom is real and Lisa loves her and it's hard for you both, but if she's not ready to hear the reasons why, she shouldn't be forced into it. Noelle knows what she wants and she'll let you know when she's certain," she softly explained. "I hope that I didn't cross a line back there, if I did, I'm really sorry about that," she quickly apologized.

"You didn't. She asked a questioned and you gave her the answer that I wouldn't have been able to ever give her. You helped her more than I had," Jesse informed her.

"You would've figured it out, Jesse. You're an amazing Father," Zoe praised him. Jesse smiled, stuffing his hands in his pockets and walked off.


	7. Happy Birthday!

Zoe was in a rush when she had got to the hospital. Over the last few months she had been able to send families home with the best news of all. And it was those smiles she had loved to see, but today the good news that she wanted to keep her spirits up ended when she got a panicked call regarding Noelle. Over the course of the last year things had gone from one extreme to another and Zoe was ready to handle anything when it came to the little girl she had grown close to. What she had expected when she walked into her room wasn't what she got.

"What's this?" Zoe asked highly confused, seeing two happy birthday balloons.

"I thought I was the sick one?" Noelle asked with a lazy smile.

"She begged me to do this, because you spend so much of your time here with the kids and she wanted your day to be special," Jesse filled her in.

"I should've known you were up to something once I told you my birthday," Zoe laughed. "Thank you, Noelle."

"You made my birthday special, it's the least I could do," Noelle shrugged. Zoe hugged the small child. Noelle had made this birthday a really special one. "I do have a present for you but it hasn't arrived yet," Noelle told her with a sad face.

"That's okay," Zoe assured her. "Whatever you got me, I'm sure it'll be here shortly. Thank you for this Noelle."

"Take a cupcake at least," Noelle told her with a small yawn, picking up a puzzle piece to finish putting together her little puzzle.

"I'll be back in an hour and we can go for that walk in the little garden," Zoe told her. Noelle nodded her head. "Thank you," Zoe told them, taking a cupcake shutting the door behind her. A smile on her face as she got to work.

Wade had been to so many different stores in New York that he had no desire to step into one ever again in his life. Traffic was so crazy that by the time he had ended up at the hospital he was already hours late and he'd have to deal with a mad Noelle. He had promised her that he'd come see her right away. He had got in late last night. He was only going to be around until Tuesday he couldn't stay longer. He had been given one thing to do and he had failed at it, but it wasn't his fault that he couldn't find what it was he was sent out to do.

"Did you get it?" Noelle asked in a hopeful voice placing her last piece of her puzzle into the right spot.

"It was a challenge but I got it," Wade informed her, pulling it from it's package. "What's the big deal anyway?" He questioned his niece. This was only the second time he had came to see her while she spent the last year in the hospital were she spent a good amount of her days fighting for her life as the rest of them seemed like nothing was wrong at all.

"It just is, Uncle Wade," Noelle told him, taking the package that Wade changed things over to, just like he had been told to do by his niece. "Do you think you can for find Dr. Z?" Noelle asked him, now that she was done inspecting it.

"Dr. Z?" He questioned, when she told him what to do over the phone, he hadn't questioned it, thought it was a bit weird but did as she wanted.

"Dr. Hart," Jesse told him.

"I'll make sure she gets it," Wade promised, grabbing the action figure and walking out of the room. He had never seen the doctor he was looking for so as he passed the doctors in the hall he had to glance at their names. Getting to the nurse's station he figured it would be best if he just left the wrapped present there for the doctor. "Excuse me," he said, getting the attention of someone.

"What I can do for you?" A guy asked, walking over to where he was standing.

"I was wondering if you could make sure that Dr. Hart got this, it's really important," he told the guy, pushing the present across the counter.

"Uh okay, I'll make sure she gets it," the guy told him with a scrunched up face, taking the present.

"Thanks," Wade told him, walking off.

"For you, Dr. Hart." Wade heard as he walked away. He thought about turning around to get a glimpse of this doctor he had heard so much of, but he thought better of it and kept looking forward.

Zoe on the other hand took the present and looked down the hall she had been told the guy that left it for her went. All she saw was a guy wearing a plaid shirt, his brown hair sitting perfectly on top of his head, she didn't recognize who he was. With a frown she looked down to see that Noelle's name was on it, she smiled, whoever the guy was, he had to have been close to Noelle.

She waited until she was back in her office before carefully opening the present. Zoe opened the present letting a small laugh out seeing the custom made super-heroine that Noelle has made for her. She had gotten a barbie doll whose profession was a doctor and the barbie even had brown hair. The barbie had a clipboard in one hand and wearing a pink cape. Written on top of the box in black marker was Dr. Z. She let a small laugh out as she placed the box on her bookshelf. For Noelle to give her that it made Zoe happy and a tear or two of happiness slipped out of her eye. Noelle was including her into her little circle of Superheroes.

What she had thought was going to be a bad day turned out to be one of the best days she's had in a long time, she leaned back in her chair letting her mind wander back to the day of Noelle's birthday.

 _With Noelle's room empty, Zoe quickly got busy adding some birthday decorations. She made sure not to over do it. But a few birthday balloons were in one corner, a birthday banner hung on the wall and a few different colored streamers crossed paths on the ceiling. A few presents sat in the window ledge, some juice was sitting by a stack of cups. A little table by the door was lined with a little bit of snack food that she would be able to stomach when she felt up to. At the very end of the table were a dozen mini cupcakes decorated with Wonder Woman colors and little rings._

" _Dr. Zoe I didn't think you'd make it today," Noelle commented from her spot in the wheel chair that her dad was pushing._

" _I couldn't miss today, it's a very special day," Zoe replied with a smile. "I had a little something I had to do this morning that was urgent, I won't miss tomorrow's walk, but I thought you liked nurse Lee?" Zoe questioned, opening the door so Jesse could push the wheelchair into the room._

" _I do, he's great and funny," Noelle told her. Whatever else was to come from her mouth had been lost as she saw the room._

" _Happy birthday," Zoe told her._

" _Zoe," Jesse whispered caught off guard. "You didn't have to do this," he told her a beat later._

" _I wanted to do this, birthday's are meant to be special and treasured and since you couldn't have a big party like you wanted I thought I'd do a little something."_

" _Can you stay for a moment?" Noelle asked, as Jesse lifted her up to place her back in the bed. Zoe nodded her head, seeing the rest of her little surprise hadn't shown up yet. "When's your birthday?" Noelle asked as she carefully looked around the room taking it all in._

" _October 24th," she replied with a smile._

" _Can I open my presents?" She asked, eyeing the few that were in the window. Jesse went to say something but Zoe cut him off._

" _Not right this moment," Zoe told her getting a sad look from Noelle and a curious one from Jesse. "You can't open presents until everyone is here," she smiled._

 _Right on cue Lavon, Jackie and Earl walked into the room signing Happy Birthday. Wade as much as he wanted to be there, he just couldn't be but he had sent his present with Lavon and promised that he'd call her later in the day._

 _Jesse shared a smile with Zoe watching the doctor slip out of the room. As much as Zoe wanted to stay there and spend the day with Noelle and her family, she couldn't do that, she still had work to do._

" _I know Jesse's told you this many times already, but thank you for everything you've done to bring a smile to my granddaughter's face since she's been here," Jackie said, stepping out of the room to stop Zoe from going to far._

" _I wouldn't consider myself a very good doctor if I let them stay in a funk while they were here. I want them to be happy, to believe that anything is possible once they get beyond these walls. For Noelle to have a smile on her face, it helps me know that I'm doing what I wanted to do since I was a little girl, helping to make a difference in the world. As much as I'm helping her out, she's doing the same thing for me," Zoe replied. "You're welcome," she smiled. "We both want the same thing and that's for Noelle to get better."_

" _She will," Jackie told her with determination._

" _She will," Zoe mimicked, letting Jackie go back to the little impromptu birthday party._


	8. Best Friend

The halls and people Zoe passed were nothing more than just a blur. She was on a mission to find one person and she couldn't find him anywhere. She had checked the waiting room that housed the rest of his family and friends. Lavon had told her that he had taken a walk and that they haven't seen him since. She nodded and started her search for him which thus far had fallen short.

"Please tell me, you know something?" Jesse asked approaching Zoe from behind. She stopped turning to face him with a smile on her face.

"The surgery went really well. We have to wait on her right now, she's still out from it all, but I'm confident to say that we've gotten it all, it's just a matter of time to ensure that it doesn't reappear again," she informed him.

Jesse let the breath he had been holding out, hearing that. "Matter of time," he replied, muttering her own words.

Zoe nodded, "Why don't you go tell that waiting room of yours what you know and I'll be back in a few minutes to take you to your daughter until she wakes up," Zoe told him.

"Okay," he replied, spinning on his heel and heading towards the waiting room everyone was waiting for him at.

He had gotten tired of sitting in the waiting room, the walls feeling a prison to him, he had started his wait in his daughter's hospital room but the walls had felt like they were closing in on him so he had to get out of there. When the waiting room failed to keep him calm he walked around finding himself outside taking deep breaths of fresh air. He had sat in the little garden he frequently visits with his daughter letting himself get lost in the early morning scenery. When he had walked back to the waiting room, Lavon had filled him in on the fact that Zoe had been looking for him.

Standing in the entryway of the waiting room he looked around, his eyes roaming over his parents, Lavon, Lemon and George, he frowned not seeing his brother there. He had wanted to tell them altogether.

"What did Dr. Hart say?" Earl asked, seeing his eldest son standing there.

"That she's going to be okay, that maybe she's finally overcome this whole thing," Jesse told them. He'd fill his brother in later. And with Zoe's words of her being confident that Noelle was going to be just fine and that this could soon be over with, he couldn't hold his own hope back.

With files in hand Zoe turned around, her eyes glancing over the top file in hand when she collided with a hard chest, sending papers scattering everywhere over the floor. "I'm sorry," she quickly told the person, dropping to her knees to collect the papers.

"It's no biggie," the deep voice said. "Maybe you can tell me if you know anything about my niece, Noelle Kinsella?" He asked.

Zoe looked to her left side to see his backside and his very firm looking butt as he was squatted down to help her collect her papers. "She's out of surgery and doing good, the rest you'll have to talk to Jesse about," Zoe told him, shaking her head as she had caught herself admiring his butt a little too long. She let her hair fall down around her face like a curtain to keep her rosy colored cheeks hidden from him.

"Okay, thanks Doc," he told her, handing her the papers.

"Thank you for helping with this mess," Zoe told him, quickly taking the offered papers and collecting the rest of them.

Wade shrugged getting to his feet leaving the doctor on the floor to gather the last few pieces of paper. He had every intention to ask her about her manners at not looking at him while he talked and handed papers to her but this wasn't the place nor the time to question her about the manners she did or didn't have. As much as it bugged him, he was in hurry to hear what else Jesse had to tell him.

Hearing that voice and hearing that he was Noelle's uncle, made her question just where she'd heard that voice before. She swore she had but yet she couldn't recall ever meeting any uncles of Noelle's. Heard he had been by but never met him.

Stepping into her office she had to push those thoughts right out of her mind seeing the man waiting for her. The one man she had convinced herself that she would never in her life see again, but yet here he was waiting for her.

"What are you doing here, Dad?" She asked in a bitter and angry tone, walking over to her desk, dropping the files down and sitting in her chair. She'd have to put them in order once the man before had left.

"I was in town and thought I'd stop in and see you, tell you things that your mom should've told you years ago," he sighed.

"What things are those?" Zoe questioned him. "Nice of you to think about me," she told him sarcasticly. Dealing with him was the very last thing she wanted to be doing today.

"I don't agree with what she had done, I wanted her to tell you years ago, but it was one secret she wanted to take to her grave, but I think you deserve to know the truth," he told her.

"Why's that? You've never cared before," she retorted. "Can you I don't know stop avoiding the question and just tell me what's so important?" She asked him.

"Remember when I left?" He asked. Zoe nodded not saying anything. The day he left was etched into her mind that it still felt fresh if she would dwell on it for too long. "I felt as if I couldn't look at your mom anymore, not after the lie she told us, I had to find out from blood results that you weren't my daughter and that hurt. I stuck around for a year, but after you turned 11, I couldn't do it. I loved you back then and I still love you, but things with your mom were turning sour and with the divorce I thought it would be better for everyone involved if I left and never looked back, but I was wrong in doing so," he told her, telling her what it was he had set out to do.

"So what, you're saying that I have a different dad out there somewhere?" She questioned, losing the edge in her voice.

"That's exactly what I'm saying, Zoe. I don't know who he is or anything about him, your mother refused to tell me anything about him. Maybe you'll have better luck in finding out," he told her sadly.

"Why?" She asked, forcing her sadness out of her voice.

"I truly think she was doing what she thought was best for you in the long run. She knew with me you had a stable future, she barely knew the man that is your father." He paused for a moment. "I would like to remain in your life Zoe, I do care about you and I worry about you greatly. The love I have for you isn't going to go away. However you think you can fit me into your life, I'll be just fine with that role," he told her.

She stopped listening after that not wanting to hear anymore. It was hard enough to take this new information in and it was becoming a problem trying to wrap her mind around it all. She gave Ethan a tight smile as he left her office. With shaky hands she picked her phone up to call her mom.

Talking her mom into lunch that afternoon had been easier than she had expected and if she would've been thinking clearly she would've knew that her mom was clearly up to something.

She left the files in a pile on her desk; she'd worry about them later. She headed in the direction of the room Noelle was in. Getting to the room she panicked slightly remember just then that she had promised to bringing Jesse to his daughter. She sighed seeing the man in question sitting next to his sleeping daughter. With the nurse telling her that Noelle was still doing good, she headed out to meet with her mom.

"What was so urgent that you just had to meet?" Candice asked her daughter.

"I was paid a visit today by Ethan," she told her mom, the name sounding foreign on her tongue. Zoe watched as her mother's face paled at the mention of Ethan. "Care to explain anything?"

"Your father's in town?" She asked surprised.

"We both know he's not my father, he felt guilt and came clean, unlike you. Who is my biological father?" She asked.

"It was so long ago, Zoe. It was on a cruise, a little romance while I took a break from Ethan. He asked me to marry him and I wasn't sure what I wanted, I thought a cruise spending time away would help me. I was silly and thought I was in love, I was wrong, really wrong. Getting back I accept Ethan's proposal doing what I thought was best for my daughter. I gave you a life most dream about," she told her.

"Who's my real father?" She asked, taking in the things she had just learned about her mother. "I can't say I dreamt about a father that would abandon me after being close for 10 years and a mother that spent more time working than noticing her own daughter," she retorted with an eye roll.

"It's not important, Zoe, honestly," Candice told her. Zoe went to reply when a guy walked up to them.

"I'm sorry, I'm not interrupting am I?" The guy asked. Zoe didn't even bother to look up. She was going to tell the stranger that yes he was interrupting a very serious and important conversation but her mother's voice was out there before she could process what was going on.

"Joel, of course not," Candice told him in a chipper voice. "This is my daughter, Zoe," she told him. "Zoe this is Joel, he's a writer."

"Hi," Zoe told him, giving him a quick look.

"Hey," he replied, sitting down.

"I've got to run, Zoe we'll talk more later," Candice told her rushing out.

"We've been played," Zoe told him, noticing just how his smile was rather adorable in a geeky sort of way. "I have no idea what you have planned for the rest of the day, but after the talk I just had with my mom, I'm suddenly no longer hungry, but please stay and let her pay for your food," Zoe told him getting up. There was no way she was going to stay on this little date her mom had set her up on.

"There's nothing I can say to make you stay?" He asked with a smile that showed of his pearly whites.

"I'm afraid not," she sighed. "I'm sure you're a nice enough of guy Joel, but I have work to do," she told him, her mind drifting back to the mess of papers on her desk.

"Maybe another time then?" He asked with hopefulness in his eyes.

"Maybe," she replied, flashing him a smile and hurrying out of the restaurant.

Getting back to the hospital she let herself get carried away with her work. Jesse had even commented on her weird mood when she had went in to see how Noelle was recovering from surgery. It had just been Jesse in the room when she went in. She shook her head, telling him she was fine. Admitting it to herself was hard enough, she wasn't ready to say it out loud to anyone yet.

* * *

Zoe sighed to herself as she walked down the hall, the hospital an eerie quiet at the late hour of the night. Time had gotten away from her and she was suppose to be home hours ago, but she quickly reasoned that it was okay because she didn't have anyone waiting on her. She was married to her job and had no time to have any kind of a serious relationship, even if her mother had tried to set up a nearly three months ago now. These days she had considered Jesse to be her best friend.

"What are you doing here?" Jesse asked worried, his head snapping from the window hearing the small creek of the door being open. Zoe gave him a sheepish smile.

"I was just on my way out, heard there was a little scare with Noelle today," she started to say, entering the room further. They had actually been in their own home the last couple of months. Things with Noelle seemed to be going really well, that it seemed like the leukemia had left, but Noelle had a little set back that saw them back in the hospital. "I figured since was I walking by I'd stop in and see how she's doing," Zoe told him. They both knew it was a lie, this was the wrong side of the hospital for her to be walking by on her way out. "How you're doing," she added on, glancing to the little girl that was asleep.

"It's hard, but I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. I want to take the pain away from her, change places with her. I hate watching her struggle day after day. When the days are good, things are great, but the bad days they just seem to drag on," he sighed, his hands scrubbing at his face.

They both remained quiet letting the silence remain. Jesse sat on the window ledge, moving a few things of Noelle's out of his way, leaving the chair for Zoe to sit in. Jesse let his own thoughts take over. He had been thinking about his future and it was only thoughts at this point, but he was thinking about leaving the city behind. It held nothing for him and he watched how happy their family made his daughter and he started to think about just how much he was going to miss seeing them once Noelle was better and free from the hospital.

"My father paid me a visit few months back," she heard herself say, "he had to be in town for something and he thought he owed it to me that he tell me why he left and pretty much cut me out of his life," Zoe said softly. She really didn't have anyone other than Jesse to talk to about this. Out of the friends she did have, Jesse would be the one person to understand just where she was coming from to an extant. "Turns out my real father is out there and he couldn't help with the whole who he is part. At least he had the guts to tell me the truth," she sighed.

"Zoe, that's," he paused, looking over at his daughter.

"Like you wouldn't believe," she said cutting him off. "He couldn't take looking at me everyday when I wasn't his and he couldn't pretend like my mom had for years. He felt guilty for being there and watching me grow when it should have been another man."

"Do you want to find the man that is your father?" Jesse asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Zoe sighed. "I just have no idea where to look. My mother is being all tight lipped about it all, when I asked her the first time she tried to set up with some guy," she sighed, shaking her head. Like having a boyfriend would do her any good. "And now she talks herself around it."

"That's horrible," Jesse replied, moving closer to Zoe. "I'll try to help you with anything if you need me too," he assured her.

Zoe gave him a warm smile. He really was like the best friend she had always wanted to have growing up.


	9. We're Leaving

**Kind of a little fluffy chapter. The next one is the last one for this story. But no fear, there is a third one in the works that will take place a couple years after _Holiday Cheer_ and I've started the first chapter for that one already, but it won't be up for quite sometime, I want to focus on my other stories and get them wrapped up or close to being wrapped up before I post new stories. **

**To the guest reviewer concerning the whole Dr. Z/Dr. Zoe isn't quite as closed as you would like to think, it will come up again in the third story, within the first few chapters actually, so keep a look out for that when the time comes!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Dr. Hart, a word please?" Zoe placed her folder down on her desk, giving her boss all of her attention. "I'm grateful for all the work you do around here. I've know your parents for years now and with as messed up as that part of your life is, I'm worried about you," he said, sitting down in a chair placed in front of her desk, letting her know that this talk wasn't so much about her work as she thought it was going to be, it was going to be a bit more on the personal side of things. She said nothing, but leaned back in her chair. "You've taken so much on and I'm starting to think it's becoming too much for you. I know you want to help this kids and their families, but I think it's time that you stop taking patients and once you're done you take a few weeks off and let yourself relax," he told her making it sound like a suggestion but she knew better, he was demanding it.

"I agree with you." she told him, blowing a breath out. She didn't like it. She had no idea what she would do with actual time on her hands where she wouldn't be needed to come into the hospital, but she still had plenty of time to worry about that. But he had a point, she had spent years putting her career ahead of anything in her life and she needed to do what she was being told, she needed to make time for herself. "I can't make my life just about the hospital, I need a life outside of these walls."

"It's not a permanent thing," he said, getting up.

She didn't let herself dwell too much on what she had been told following her boss out of her office. Instead she headed to do her check-ups. Finishing up with her last patient before lunch, she smiled seeing Jesse and Noelle waiting for her by the front desk.

"Hey you guys," she smiled, walking up to them. "Your appointment isn't for another hour and half yet," she informed them with a small laugh.

"We know, Dr. Z," Noelle told her with an eye roll. "We thought we could tell you something over lunch, it's important."

"Okay, give me a minute?" She questioned, seeing the pleading look on the little girls face, finding it hard to say no.

"We'll be waiting," Jesse told her.

Over lunch which consisted of pizza, Noelle had spent the whole time telling Zoe about what she had been doing in great detail. Once she had been able to leave the hospital she had been spending time with her dad when he wasn't working. Her grandparents had stayed in town helping Jesse out as they got situated and into a daily routine, but there time was coming to end in just a few more weeks.

"Didn't you have something important to tell me?" Zoe asked, as they walked back to the hospital.

"I did, I do, but um maybe it can wait until the garden?" Noelle asked.

"Of course," Zoe told her. "But only after your check-up."

Noelle nodded going with her dad as Zoe went back to work. The only thing she had to do was wait for the check-up with Noelle. She did have a few things that she had to get on right after that was over with but then she'd be free to have a few minutes to hang out with Noelle and Jesse in the garden to hear what it was Noelle wanted to tell her.

* * *

 _It had been a sunny day and Noelle was looking sad, Zoe had watched as Jesse had tried to make her laugh but it never worked. Zoe having seen enough decided to try something. Noelle had often told Zoe about her love for being outside, so an idea came to mind. Walking around the hospital got to be a bore and she had made sure that it wouldn't harm Noelle for taking a walking in the garden as long as they stayed in the part that was indoors everything would be just fine. Suggesting the idea made her little green eyes light up and made the smile that had fallen from her face reappear. It was the first day that Zoe had been able to see Noelle so at peace and so carefree, it brought a smile to her face._

* * *

"You still with us?" Jesse asked, as they took a spot next to Zoe. "I thought you were supposed to come find us?"

"I'm still here," she told them with a small laugh. "You guys looked to be having fun goofing off, that I thought I'd hang back for a bit," she explained to him.

"We're leaving," Noelle blurted out, not able to hold it in any longer.

"What she's trying to say is that after her check-up next month we're moving to Bluebell to be closer to family. Nothing's left here for us and the past few years with Noelle being sick and in the hospital it's showed me just how important family is and how much I actually missed them and need them around. I want Noelle to have a better relationship with them and we can't do that here," Jesse explained. He had thought about it, talked it out with his parents. He couldn't stay in the city just because of Zoe.

"Oh," Zoe muttered. She was happy for them, they deserved to be happy. But she felt sad that they were leaving.

"You should come with us," Noelle suggested. "You and Uncle Wade still have to meet and you'd like him," she commented.

"Sweetie it doesn't work like that," Jesse told his daughter. "Dr. Hart's work is here and she can't just pick up and leave," he filled his daughter in.

"But your work, Daddy," Noelle pointed out.

"I can work for them while in Bluebell," he said.

"Tell you what, Noelle, if I'm ever in the area I'll stop in to see you and meet this Uncle of yours," she let the little girl know. She had no idea how she had never met this Wade guy while Noelle was in the hospital but it happened to work out that way.

"Okay," she smiled. "You'll like him," she hinted at.

"I'm sure I will," Zoe laughed. "Are you excited about moving?" She asked then.

"Uh huh," Noelle told her in a giddy tone. She filled Zoe in on as much as she could remember about the little town. Zoe listened intently smiling as Noelle told her things.

"I think it's what she needs," Zoe told him. "After getting so close to both of you over the last few years, I'm going to miss you both, but maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing to come visit, I've got some time off coming up," she said thinking out loud.

"We're going to miss you Zoe," Jesse told her. She had become his best friend, his rock over the last few years and you miss your friends once you're no longer around them on a daily bases. "It would be nice for you to come down, but don't feel like you have to do such a thing," he informed her.

"I'm not doing it because I feel like I have to do it, I'm being made to take time off and I'm okay with that because it's something I need to do before I go insane," she chuckled lightly. "Now I have something to look forward to, a real little vacation if you will. The place does sound like the perfect place to escape to," she smiled.

"We'd like that," Jesse smiled. "I'm sure Lavon would let you stay at the carriage house on the mayor's plantation. Noelle would be all for that since Wade lives across the pond in the gate house," he laughed.

"Should I be worried about your little brother?" She asked getting herself worked up just a little when it came to Wade.

Jesse shook his head laughing. "He may act tough and he's easy to piss off but he really wouldn't hurt a fly, he's got a good heart just a bit lost at times," Jesse tried to explain.

"He doesn't seem like a scary guy," Zoe laughed, nudging Jesse. "He must be good if Noelle loves him as much as she does but I'm trying to figure out why she's so determined to have me and Wade meet."

"I have no idea on that one either. She's wants you both to be happy and she thinks by getting you together you'll be happy, I've told her it doesn't work like that, but she rolls her eyes and tells me she has it covered."

Zoe laughed at that and got up. "I'll keep it in mind, but I've got to get back to work," Zoe informed him. "Hang out here as long as you want to."

Jesse nodded his head and hugged her. Smiling Zoe walked over to Noelle and gave the little girl a hug before going back to work, her mind filled with plans of seeing Bluebell for herself.


	10. Welcome to Bluebell

**Here's the final chapter. Thank you to each and everyone of you that has taken the time to read and review this one.**

 **The 3rd story in this series is called _Recreating Memories._ Keep an eye out for it in the near future.**

 **I had something else written out for explaining Zoe's decision to move to Bluebell but it wouldn't work so I had to go back to this version of things and I do get that she's making a really rash decision with her life, but there's just something about the way I have it that I like.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

She had spent many of her nights over the past two weeks thinking about her future and what it was she really wanted now that she was being forced to take time off from the only thing that she had known for so long, she still didn't know what it was she wanted but Bluebell stuck out the most in her mind. What she told Jesse about taking a vacation in Bluebell would be nice. And from what she heard about the little town it sounded like a lovely little place to be. It was everything that New York wasn't and that in itself would be the best thing about it. Plus she'd know a few people so she wouldn't feel so lost.

Even sitting at her desk, she was able to go through what patients she had left able to come up with some kind of a game plan to see herself out of the hospital sooner than expected. If she could change patients over to other doctors she'd be able to take time off sooner than expected. And change wouldn't be the worst thing in her life.

But first she had a phone call to make before she went out to change her patients over.

"Big Z, what do I owe for this pleasure?" Lavon asked answering his phone with an amused chuckle.

"I've got some time off coming up in a month or two, Noelle told me a little about Bluebell and I thought I'd come check it out for myself and Jesse told me that you would be okay with me staying in the carriage house," she told him unsure of her own words.

"That's totally fine, I'm sure we can get it fixed up before you make it down here, you'll have to let me know when though," he informed her.

"I will and maybe things might work out for the best and I'll end up staying there," she joked.

"That doesn't sound like you're planning on coming down just for a vacation, big Z. Something else on your mind?" Lavon questioned her with a soft chuckle.

"I'm not really sure. I've never taken time off, the last time I had time to do as I pleased was back in school and changing scenery isn't such a bad thing now is it?" She questioned him.

"No, it's not and maybe it's just what you need. Your life shouldn't just be filled with that hospital," Lavon informed her. "I've got to run. Call when you know for sure when you'll be in town?"

"Will do," Zoe told him, hanging up her phone.

Grabbing the files she had on her desk from the handful of patients that needed more attention than a few that would be leaving soon she headed out to find the doctors in mind for each child.

Convincing the doctors and families that it would be a good thing was no easy feat but she was able to sit at her desk later in the day with a smile on her face with only a select few of her patients left. In two months time she'd be on her vacation and maybe it was exactly what she needed to do, a life elsewhere might be in order for her.

She thought she should've kept walking out of her office when she heard her office phone ringing, they'd leave a message and she'd call them back tomorrow. It was after hours and she didn't want to tell the person on the other line that she was done for a few months maybe longer, but something in her made her turn back and pick the phone up. She was thinking that they had hung up when she did answer it so when a male voice started talking on the other line she was pleasantly surprised.

"Dr. Hart this is Dr. Breeland, I run the practice in Bluebell, Alabama. Is this a bad time?" She shook her head, remembering that he couldn't see her.

"No, it's fine," she told him, sitting down in her chair. "What can I do for you Dr. Breeland?"

"Noelle Kinsella's files, I was wondering when you would be able to fax them over to me, I've talked to Jesse and I've faxed all the papers that I needed to you, did you get them?"

"I haven't had a chance to go over any papers on my desk, I'm sorry," she told him, glancing at the stack of papers waiting on her. With the day she had talking to the other doctor's and family members of her patients spending extra hours after hours looking through files hadn't seemed to be too appealing to her. "I'll have them to you by the end of tomorrow, Dr. Breeland," Zoe informed him, she'd get on it first thing in the morning.

"Great," Brick told her. "I don't want to intrude on you, Dr. Hart but I was talking to Lavon and he was saying that you were coming here for a vacation." Hearing that had gotten Zoe's attention greatly, she had been ready to hang up.

"Yes, I'll be there hopefully in December," she told him.

"I was wondering if you would want to help out here, it would be nice to have a day or two off, Dr. Wilkes is going to be gone that month."

Zoe smiled. "I'd like that," she told him. It would be nice, give her a chance to see what else was out there for her.

"That'd be great and maybe if things go right you can have a permanent job here." Something about his words gave her hope, made something snap.

"What if I came to work for you and this Dr. Wilkes allowing the both of you to have more time off," she suggested. The words had been out of her mouth before she had even thought them. But with them out there, she had to smile. Moving away from the city, the only home she's ever known as scary as it would be it also seemed like it was the right thing to do.

"Let me talk it over with Dr. Wilkes and I'll get back to you, but that does sound great. Of course we'll also have to see how things work out and have a proper interview," he informed her. These were things that Zoe knew, but she refrained from saying so.

Zoe smiled saying she'd have everything to him tomorrow and if he needed anything to let her know and she'd get them to him. Hanging up the phone from her conversation with Dr. Breeland she felt light and free. A feeling she hadn't felt in a long time.

* * *

Over the past month everything had gone smoothly as could be. Dr. Breeland and Dr. Wilkes were letting her come in and work for them, giving her a shorter amount hours to work which in return would give her time to have the personal life she had been missing out on for years now. It was a perfect fit for her.

After her last visit with Noelle she only had two patients left and after the end of the month they would be heading home to their families and seeing a different doctor for any of their check-ups to come up in the future. She was so close to her freedom that she could taste it.

"You look really happy?" Noelle said, watching Zoe enter the room.

"I'm very happy today, Noelle," Zoe replied, sitting at the computer in the room. "I've been given some really good news," she replied, logging on to her account.

"What's that?" Noelle had been sad that today would be the last day she'd get to visit with Zoe and it bummed her out that Zoe was so happy about something.

"Remember how you told me all about Bluebell?" Zoe questioned, getting things set up. Noelle nodded her head. "Well next month I'm moving as well." That not only got Noelle's attention but Jesse's as well.

"Where are you moving too?" Jesse asked.

"The best little town in Alabama," Zoe smirked.

"Bluebell?" Noelle questioned. Zoe smiled and nodded her head.

"What about work?" Jesse asked her. "I don't want you to think that you have to move to Bluebell, Zoe," he told her.

"I know and I've been offered to work at the practice so I'll still be your doctor," Zoe informed the now smiling girl on the medical bed. "I thought about it and it's something that I want to do for me and it doesn't hurt that you all will be there too."

"You mean it?" Noelle asked, her excitement radiating through her.

"Every word," Zoe told her.

"I think you'll like it there," Noelle told her with a massive grin.

Zoe gave her a smile and worked in quiet doing what needed to be done. After the check-up Zoe was putting things into the computer. "Everything still looks good, are you feeling okay?" Zoe asked. Noelle nodded. "Good, once the blood work comes back, I'll give you call, Jesse," Zoe told him.

"Okay and you've really thought this whole thing through, moving to Bluebell?" Jesse asked her concerned.

"I have and I do love what I do here, but I guess I feel like it's just time to move on and really start living my life again. I want a life I can actually look back on and not a life that was only filled with work and other than this job, I can't seem to think of anything else that's left here for me," she told him.

"In that case, I can't wait for you to see Bluebell and it will be good to have you around, you've become an important part in my life in all of this."

"I feel the same way about you, Jesse. And now you know that you won't be able to get rid of me as easy as you had hoped," she joked walking to the door. "Have a fun day and I'll see you when I get to Bluebell," she told them walking from the room.

* * *

She smiled seeing Lavon waiting for her, she walked up to him with her luggage in tow. He was quick to wrap her up in a hug. She laughed returning the hug.

"Let's get you home," he commented, taking her luggage for her.

Hearing those words made her smile grow even bigger. The last time she had been this happy had been when she was 10 spending the whole day with Ethan on his day off and she thought that was kind of pathetic of her. She should've had happier times since that day.

Lavon filled her in on everything it was she needed to know about the carriage house. Hearing that it had no kitchen was just fine with her because she couldn't cook to save her life. She was a bit worried about running across Burt though. And she would work around having multiple things plugged in at the same time if it meant it would blow the fuse box she shared with Wade.

"Thank you for this, Lavon," Zoe told him.

"It's no big deal. I had the room, it's the least I could do for you after everything you've done," he told her with a small shrug. "If you need anything you know where to find me and the town is small enough," Lavon told her, setting her luggage inside the carriage house. "Need a ride anywhere?" He asked her then.

"I'm good, I'm going to walk to the practice, I have a few minutes to waste before Noelle's appointment," she told him. Lavon nodded, climbing back into his car.

She took in the fresh air getting ready to start on her walk, getting to know Bluebell just a little better.

"Hey, Big Z, welcome to Bluebell," Lavon told her, driving off.


End file.
